William griffiths



" UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.'

WILLIAM GRIFFITHS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNR 'TO I-IIMSELF AND JOSEPH H. LAMBERT, OF SAME PLACE.

KNAPSACK. y

T o all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, )WILLIAM Gxirrrrrrs, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Knapsack for Military Purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in making the usual stationary inner frame, or case, of a knapsack so that it can at any time be either totally and readily removed therefrom, folded down in one end of the same into a compact or solid condition, admitting of the knapsacks being rolled up into nearly a cylindrical form, like a portmanteau, or be replaced, with facility, in the flexible covering so as to serve as heretofore, whereby a soldier can, in a few moments, diminish the bulk and weight ofthe knapsack itself, for short expeditions-as from camp or from on board ship-leaving the said convertible case (on board or in camp) in a very compact form, or can, as readily condense it within the usual covering so as to enable him to carry the whole in less bulk when marching as a foot soldier, or attached to a saddle like a portmanteau when mounted.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it more minutely.

In the drawings, Figure 1, represents the improvement applied to a common knapsack, so as to serve the usual purpose of an inner case or supporting frame; Fig. 2, represents the frame or case as folded down or condensed in one end of the sack; and Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, the devices and their mode of application whereby the said case is rendered convertible as before specified, like letters of reference in the dierent figures indicating the same parts.

A, is the interior of the knapsack; B, B, B, B, the four main parts of the supporting frame or case; C, a section of the immediate covering of the open side of the knapsack; D and D, the usual closing straps; and E, a section of the usual outer covering or flap-a description of the usual exterior carrying straps and buckles not being necessary in this specification. They are, therefore, not shown in the drawings.

The flexible parts of this knapsack are formed and combined together substantially as heretofore, and the supporting case or frame is also adapted in size and form, as heretofore, to fit accurately within it; but instead of making the said frame or case stationary, by nailing its parts together and to the flexible part, I connect the two side pieces (B and B) to the ends of the bottom piece (Bw) by means of a double hinge, f, (shown, enlarged, by Figs. 3 and 8,) which admits of the said side pieces being either turned up, as shown in Fig. l, or folded down together, parallel with each other, and with either of them in parallel contact with the said bottom piece (Bm), substantially as shown in Fig, 2, and fix a looped tenon, g, on each of the opposite ends of the said side pieces (B, B) so that it may project through a slot, h, made in each end of the top piece (B), when the latter is a plied thereto as shown in Figs. l, 5, and and secure them together by means of the hooks z', z', which are attached to the top piece (B) so as to be made to enter the said loopsthe brace piece, 7c, of the said top-piece (B), being hinged to the lower or inner side lof the said top piece (B) by means of the small hinges, Z, Z, or otherwise, so as to admit of its being either folded up ilatly against the same, as shown in Fig. 2, or ad justed in the slots or notches, m, m, which are made in the side pieces (B, B), as shown in Figs. l and 5.

It will be readily perceived that the case or frame of a knapsack, when constructed substantially as herein described, will be readily convertible so as to adapt it to serve the several purposes specified, and that the utility derived in consequence of such convertibility is equally manifest, as well for the advantage of the soldier, in its use, as for the Government, in stowage and transshipment.

Having thus fully described and specified the construction and mode of operation of my invention, I proceed to state that I do not limit my claim to the specific devices, or the combinations thereof as described, nor to any other equivalent devices, whereby the frame or case of a knapsack is rendered conthe purposes described, as an improved artivertible as described; but i cle of manufacture. v

Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent s WILLIAM GRIFFITHS. 5 A military knapsack having the usual Witnesses:

frame, or case, made and adapted thereto so BENJ. MORISON, as to be convertible, substantially as and for CHAs. F. HELFFRICHT. 

